Cameron University Bill W. Burgess Jr. Business Research Center to present “The Power of the Wind – Challenges and Prospects of Wind Energy in Oklahoma”

Cameron University’s Bill W. Burgess Jr. Business Research Center (BBRC) will present a public forum on “The Power of the Wind – Challenges and Prospects of Wind Energy in Oklahoma” on Wednesday, October 5 at 1 p.m. The keynote address will be presented by Dr. Scott Greene, Professor, Department of Geography & Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma. The forum will take place in the CETES Conference Center and is open to the public at no charge.

“According to the American Wind Energy Association, Oklahoma ranked third in the nation in 2015 for total wind energy generation,” says Dr. Syed Ahmed, Director, BBRC. “Wind power has emerged as a viable, alternative form of energy for the state. The forum will provide an overview of the Oklahoma wind industry, its economic impact, challenges and prospects of the industry.”

A panel discussion will follow Greene’s keynote address. He will be joined by Kylah McNabb, Energy Policy Advisor, State Energy Office, Oklahoma Secretary of Energy & Environment; and Russell Philpott, Co-Founder and Lead Consultant, Precise Building Performance LLC.

Greene will provide a brief primer on wind energy, an overview of the wind industry in Oklahoma, a description of some of the economic impacts, and case studies illustrating the relative importance of the industry, particularly in those areas with fewer revenue sources.

For the last 15 years, Greene has also worked with, and is currently director of, the Oklahoma Wind Power Initiative (OWPI), an award-winning collaboration between the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. The initiative is focused on researching various social, economic and physical science issues associated with wind energy in Oklahoma. Under his supervision, OWPI has received awards for excellence in research and outreach from the American Wind Energy Association, the U.S. Department of Energy, and The Journal Record.